Life is an Adventure

November 23, 2017February 10, 2018

Thankful for the Tension

This holiday I am thankful for many things. I feel overwhelming blessed; but one thing I have realized lately is that I am thankful for tension in life. I think we would be hard pressed to find people that love tension. We don’t like the stress tension in life can cause. We don’t like to address tension in our lives and in our relationships. It’s tough. The easier road is to disengage. This idea of tension in life has been coming to my heart lately. My natural tendency is to be passive; avoiding the conflicts that exists.

I was playing guitar recently when I realized that in order to be in tune and for the notes to ring out through of the strings, they require tension. And it needs to be just the right amount of tension. Too much and the note goes sharp; too little and it goes flat.

Life is that way too. Too much tension and life gets high pitched; too little and life fizzes out. It’s strange really; but I think ultimately true. Some of the greatest things in life come out of tension. For Cortney and I the tension that arose out of my cancer diagnosis and the struggles that came with that – have caused us to be more in tune. I think we could apply this analogy to many parts of our lives and many of our relationships. On one end of the guitar string the tension builds on the bridge of the guitar and on the other end of the string the tension builds on the neck of the guitar. And through that pulling from both ends the tone and music occurs. I think it is the same with two people. No pushing required, simply both sides pulling – encouraging and strengthening until the note is in tune.

What I further realize is the strings need the body of the guitar to amplify and bring to life the vibrations of the strings. For me that body has been God fearing, Jesus loving people in my life: counselors, mentors, friends and family members. Ultimately it has been Jesus; he has been the body of the guitar making the music. He, and the people he has placed in life, help reverberate that vibration into pleasing sounds.

So for the tension I am thankful today; for that tension helps the song of life, well, come to life! Happy Thanksgiving! God bless you and your families.